Do you want to live in a Charles Manson murder house? You can now
Would you buy a murder house? Now’s your opportunity! A two bedroom, two bathroom Spanish style home where Charles Manson and his “family” killed a couple is on sale in Los Angeles.
Zak Bagans, host of Ghost Adventures on the Travel channel, bought the home last year for $1.89 million, hoping to use it to film an undisclosed project. Instead, Bagans decided to sell it for $2.2 million after canceling production following some time spent on the property. He told TMZ he ultimately came to that decision out of respect for the couple that died.
Unease in the houses
Leno & Rosemary LaBianca went to bed on August 10, 1969 frightened. The previous evening, four members of the Manson family killed actress Sharon Tate, her former boyfriend Jay Sebring, and friends Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent in Tate’s home. She was eight months pregnant at the time.
It’s unknown why Tate & her friends were targeted, though Manson and few followers were said to have attended a party at a nearby house the year before. Charles Manson himself picked the location. Contrary to popular belief, the LaBianca house is ten miles away from Tate’s house, making it hard to connect the two murders at first.
The LaBiancas had recently moved back to the house because it was Leno’s childhood home. The son of Italian immigrants, Leno worked as a grocery store executive while Rosemary, his second wife, co-founded a local clothing store. Both had children from previous marriages and had just celebrated Leno’s 44th birthday. Any known personal connection between the Manson family & the LaBiancas hasn’t been reported.
The grizzly crime
When Manson & his accomplices broke into the house, the couple was sleeping. Manson went ahead of the group and tied the couple up. Initially, a few members told the LaBiancas that they were there to rob them, not kill them. Alas, it was a lie.
Rosemary was stabbed forty-one times, though many of those wounds were inflicted postmortem. Leno suffered over a dozen stab wounds and was disemboweled. A steak knife was found in his throat. Similar to Sharon Tate’s murder the night before, the perpetartors wrote messages in blood. “Rise,” and “Death to Pigs” were written on the walls. Helter Skelter, a misspelled reference to The Beatles’ song, was on the fridge.
Manson & his followers were arrested at Barker Ranch on suspicion of auto theft in October 1969. Cult member Suzan Atkins told another cell mate about the crimes which led to more charges and eventually guilty verdicts for all involved.
Many Manson family members are still in prison for their various crimes. Charles Manson died in prison in 2017. Their crime spree and murderous rampage has drawn fascination from true crime fans for decades. Last year’s Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, directed by Quentin Tarantino, revisited & reimagined Tate’s murder, with Margot Robbie playing Tate.
The house
If you can get past its gruesome history, this 1,655 square foot Los Feliz house overlooks gorgeous views and sports a large yard & a pool. The 98-year-old single story home also has a two car garage with Italian tile floors and a slightly-dated Spanish style interior & exterior. Honestly, it looks similar in style to the house featured in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood.
The gated, half-acre property features views of downtown Los Angeles, Griffith Park, Glendale, and the San Gabriel Mountains. A short distance away from the Griffith Park Observatory, its realtor listing indicates it’s close to “trails, trendy eateries, and entertainment.”
While a testament to Hollywood history, the house has yet to be sold.
—
Would you buy this house despite its dark history? Let us know in the comments!
